Residents of Amritsar's Mallu Nangal village allege corruption in ration distribution

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 22

Accusing depot holders of not giving full share of wheat under the public distribution system (PDS), residents of Mallu Nangal village have filed a complaint with the office of the District Food and Civil Supplies Controller.

The residents along with the leaders of the Dehati Mazdoor Sabha and the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha said the depot holders give a handwritten slip to the beneficiaries of the Atta-Dal scheme instead of the computer generated slips issued by the District Food and Civil Supplies Office.

Gurnam Singh Daud, general secretary, Dehati Mazdoor Sabha, said, “The weight of the wheat being disbursed to a family differs on the slip than on the computer generated slip.” He alleged that the depot holders dupe poor beneficiaries by falsely claiming that the weight mentioned on the hand written slip is their actual share.

Kulwant Singh Mallunangal, a resident said, “Huge quantity of wheat is thus siphoned off and the depot holders, in connivance with the officials, are selling this wheat in open market and minting money.” He said every member of a below poverty line family is entitled to 5 kg of wheat at Rs 2 per kg every month.

Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha said, “Ideally, the wheat should be distributed at a common place in village as gurdwara, temple or a panchayat office.” He said instead the beneficiaries are made to wait outside the houses of sarpanches or depot holders as if they are distributing the cereal from their own pockets.

District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC) Sanyogita said the issue would be investigated and anybody found guilty would be punished as per the law. She added that the investigation has already been assigned to officials concerned and the people would not face any problem in future.

Ajnala said the DFSC has assured that in future it would be insured that the residents get the computer generated slips so that they can know about their quota and that the distribution would be done at public places instead of the residence of any individual.

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